With the best mic modelling technology being an expensive luxury up until now, can a contender costing a fraction of the price of the most expensive options sound any good? We find out…
DSP modelling mics promise to reproduce all the nuance and detail of both classic vintage designs, and boutique modern ones in the form of the ubiquitous ‘big studio mic’ condenser shape. Designers build into this shape allowing them to give us LDC models, and also to ‘throw away’ information when modelling dynamic designs.
The USB mic’s distillation of audio interface, headphone amp, and microphone into one lump presents a neat solution to those trying to navigate the sheer breadth of choice when setting up to record for the first time. With many established mic brands dropping their existing capsule knowhow into these, they can be perfect for small setups where simplicity is essential.
Antelope Audio Axino Synergy Core
This unique product from Antelope Audio takes a USB mic, and drops their mic modelling technology into the mic housing itself using their proprietary FGPA hardware DSP as found on other Synergy Core interfaces. This DSP does the heavy lifting of mic modelling and Synergy Core effects to free up your machine CPU. Included with Axino:
10 hardware effect emulations, each with multiple instances available
Desk stand and shockmount - these are really stable and well-made
USB cable
Foam windshield
The mic also comes with Antelope’s Control Panel mixer app that lets you set up effects, models, headphone mixes and loopback. Extra USB channels are provided for loopback, as well as for setting up DAW printbacks through the Synergy Core effects. Antelope’s afx2 daw plugin bridge is also available as a paid option which lets you access the DSP without leaving the comfort of your DAW.
How Does It Sound?
Using the dry Axino model, the mic has a bright sound typical of generic affordable LDCs which can work well on dull voices or acoustics that need some zing. The Axino Synergy Core models gives you a broad palette of flavours to choose from, and that’s quite apart from the plethora of emulated hardware you get included. Perhaps Axino Synergy Core’s only missed opportunity is the option of the un-modelled pre-AD output being available on XLR for bigger jobs, as leaving a perfectly good mic in the drawer is a shame. That said, it would understandably raise the cost so perhaps Antelope Audio have made a reasonable compromise here.
How good the models sound will depend on your own choices, which is exactly how it goes if you have the real mics there to compare them to… Once you’ve got that sorted, as a package the Antelope Audio Axino Synergy Core gives you a lot of stuff for your cash that can sound great.